A massive wildfire raging on the flanks of Mount Vesuvius in Italy has led to the closure of all hiking routes up the volcano near Naples to tourists. The national fire service has deployed 12 teams and six Canadair planes to battle the blaze, which has torn through the Vesuvius National Park since Friday. The fire has destroyed hundreds of hectares of woodland, particularly in the Terzigno pine forest and areas near Trecase, Ercolano, and Ottaviano, with thick smoke visible from Naples and Pompeii.
The closure is a precautionary measure to ensure public safety and facilitate firefighting and cleanup operations in the affected areas. Nearly 620,000 people visited the volcano’s crater in 2024, but for now, tourist activities along the Vesuvius National Park trail network are suspended until further notice. The Pompeii archaeological site, however, remained open to tourists, despite smoke from the fire being visible from the area. Italian firefighters are working tirelessly to contain the blaze, using drones to monitor the fire’s spread and reinforcement teams from other regions to support the efforts.
